Mop holder



MOP HOLDER Filed Feb. 25, 1946 fizyezz Z021:

r 1 f6 flak yefo Z 14 6 rw w Patented June 8, 1943 ENE-TED STA-TES- PATENT QFFI-CEJ MOP'HOLDER Cal'ogero Fl C'omito, Detroit, -lviich Application February 25, 1946, Serial No. 649,843

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in mop holders;

A principal object of the invention is to provide a mop holder of simplified construction from the standpoint of both the manufacturer and the user. In this connection, the invention aims to simplify the manufacture of the improved mop holder by the use of a minimum number of parts which are so formed that they may be quickly and accurately assembled by unskilled labor, thereby reducing the over-all cost. The minimum number of parts and their form and cooperative engagements also simplifies the structure from the viewpoint of the user in that their arrangement and construction facilitate the removal and replacement of a mop element in'the holder without the use of tools and'without appreciable muscular exertion.

Another important object is to provide an improved mop holder having a strong firm body and a resilient yoke connected therewith for clamping a mop element against the body, the yoke being formed at opposite ends with return bends which form resilient loops adapted to grip and hold portions of the mop element so as to prevent any part of the body or the yoke striking the floor, walls or articles of furniture when the mop is being used,

Another object is to provide, in a mop holder of the above general character, a resilient yoke which, in addition to having the aforementioned return =bend loops, is also bowed upwardly intermediate its ends so as to insure firm clamping of the central portions of the mop element-against the bottom face of the holder body and thereby prevent the mop strands from shifting toward the center of the yoke and also avoid distorting and consequent bending of the pivoted end portion of the yoke in the bearing opening of the body member.

Another and equally important object is to provide a mop holder which facilitates removal and replacement of a mop element in the holder with one hand while the person making the change supports the holder by grasping and holding the handle in an upright position.

The above object stated more specifically includesthe provision of a rigid mop holder body and a resilient clamping yoke provided with upturned end portions for engagement with the holder body; one of said up-turned ends providing a pivoted axis about which the yoke is swung to move the other up-turned end into and out of its engagement with said body.

A further specific object is to provide a'n'ovel 2. locking engagement betweenone end of the resilient yoke and atight'eningel em'ent so-as-to'prevent accidental displacement of thelocki-ngyoke; In this connection the invention contemplates the provision of a lateral recess "in the holder body for receiving a threadedend portion-oi-the resilient yoke and to forma depression in 'a'top surface of the body adjacent the said recess so as to'for'm a pocket for receivi-nga wing nut car ried on'the threaded portion'of the yoke Other objects and advantages of the struc ture shown in' the accompanying drawingwill appear from the detailed descriptionof the in vention.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 isa view in-perspective of one approved form of my improved'mop holder showing a mop element clamped therein.

Fig. 2 is a side-vieW-of the structure shown in Fig. l with parts of-the holder and theonto}? element shown insection, and i Fig. 3 is a" plan view of the mop h'older show ing'the'mop clamping'element thereof swung 'out wardly from the body to a convenient position for removingan'd replacing a mopelem'en't.

The improved mop holder as shown in 1 the accompanying drawing, may be described briefiy as comprising abodymember H3; a resilient'clamp ing element ll and'a'wing nut l2 for tensioning the mop clamping element so ae'to hold a mop' l3 securely between theclamping-member-and a bottom face of the body.

The body member I 0 is preferably a die castingof aluminum or other non corrosive material; It includes a central stem, the upper portion-of which ishollow to-provide asocket-M for receiv ing a handle [5. The-handlemay be securedin' the'stem'by means of'a rivet I6; mother-suitable fastening device. The lower end of the 'bo'div' is provided with oppositelyextending arms-Fl and I8 to which the resilient'clampingelement is secured.

The clamping element H is in'the formof-a' resilient yoke. It is formed by bending ahe'avy wire, preferably of brass, or other non-corrosive material, the end portio'nsof which-aretb'ent inwardly to form open loops =19 and=' 2 0. The end of the wire adjacent loop-t9 is'turned'upwardly as indicated at 2 l and fitted into a bearing opening 22 formed'in'the-arm ll of the bOdy'imm-' berso that the clamping'yoke will pivot in=the opening 22 to'permit the yoke-to swingabout the'upturned end 2i as an axis to-a-poSitiOn such as indicated in Fig, 3. The-fit of 't-he'said' portion 21 in the bearing opening-22 issu'ch-as to prevent the yoke from swinging downwardly relative to the holder body. The extremity of the end 2| is preferably upset to form a retaining head 23. The end of the wire adjacent the loop 20 is preferably formed with screw threads and is bent upwardly as indicated at 2'4 and is adapted to swing into and out of a vertical slot 25 formed in a side face of the arm l8 when the member H is swung into and out of its operative position.

The wing nut I2 is carried by the threaded end portion 24 of the yoke and is adapted to clamp this end of the yoke firmly in the slot 25, preferably the top face of the arm I8 is formed with a depression 26 adjacent the slot 25 so as to provide a pocket for receiving the lower portion of the wing nut I2 when the latter is tightened.

In order to provide a suitable resilient pressure for holding the mop element in position, the intermediate portion of the clamping yoke is bowed upwardly as indicated by the reference numeral 21.- This upwardly bowed portion, in addition to exerting a firm resilient hold on the mop, also prevents the mop strands from moving inwardly toward the center of the yoke. In other words, the upwardly bowed portion 21 together with the loops l920 insures that a substantial number of the mop strands will be held in the loops so as to extend outwardly in all directions therefrom and provide pad portions 28-28 which will prevent the loops I9-20 of the clamp or any portion of the body from striking a mop board or articles of furniture within a room when the mop is being used. Preferably, the portion of the body which intervenes between the ends 2i and 24 of the yoke extends downwardly a short distance so that the inner surfaces 29 and 30 of the loops l9 and 20 will be, in effect, continuations of the bottom surface 3 l of the body.

In operation, the mop retaining yoke is swung outwardly to substantially the position shown in Fig. 3. In this position, the mop l3 may be positioned in the yoke as shown in Fig. 3, and the mop and yoke are then swung into the position indicated in Fig. 1. The thumb nut I2 may be tightened so as to firmly lock the yoke in position. The removal and application of a renewal mop is essentially a one-hand operation, since the mop holder stem will normally be held upright in the left hand of the user while the clamp yoke H is swung outwardly by the other hand to a position for removing and replacin the mop. The removal and application of renewal mops can be quickly accomplished without the exertion of any appreciable muscular eifort on the part of the person making the charge, since it is only necessary to loosen the wing nut l2 torelease the yoke II to permit it to swing outwardly from the body. After it is returned with a renewal mop to its applied position, the wing nut is simply tightened until it seats firmly in the pocket 26. This engagement provides an interlock which prevents accidental movement of the yoke out of the slot 25.

I claim:

1. A mop holder comprising a unitary body member including a hollow stem for receiving one end of a handle and having oppositely extending arms defining a bottom face of the body, one of the arms having a bore extending therethrough in a direction normal to said bottom face and the other arm having a slot opening through a side face of the arm and extending in a direction normal to said bottom face, a resilient yoke element for clamping a mop to the bottom of 4 said body and including a central portion formed with return bends at opposite ends thereof to provide open loops for receiving and retaining the edge portions of the mop and terminating in upturned end portions; one of said end portions being fitted in said bore and provides a pivotal support for the yoke, whereby the yoke swings about the pivotal axis of the last mentioned upturned end and the other up-turned end portion being positioned to move into and out of said slot when the yoke is swung into and out of its operative position, and a wing nut carried on the last mentioned up-turned end portion for tensioning the yoke member.

2. A mop holder comprising a unitary body member including a hollow stem for receiving one end of a handle and having oppositely extending arms defining a bottom face of the body, one of the arms having a bore extending therethrough in a direction normal to said bottom face and the other arm having a slot opening through a side face of the arm and extending in a direction normal to said bottom face, a resilient yoke element for clamping a mop to the bottom of said body and including an upwardly bowed central portion formed with return bends at opposite ends thereof which extend beyond the ends of said arms and provide open loops for receiving and retaining the edge portions of the mop and terminating in up-turned end portions; one of said lip-turned end portions being fitted in said bore and provides a pivotal support for the yoke, whereby the yoke swings about the pivotal axis of the last mentioned up-turned end to receive a mop thereon and the other up-turned end portion being positioned to move into and out of said slot when the yoke is swung into and out of its operative position, and a wing nut threaded on the last mentioned up-turned end portion for tensioning the yoke member.

3. A mop holder comprising a unitary body including aligned arms which extend in opposite directions and means for removably clamping a mop to a bottom face of said body comprising a resilient yoke including a central portion and up-turned end portions; there being a bearing opening in one of said arms for receiving one of the up-turned end portions of the yoke, whereby the yoke is pivotally supported to swing about the axis of the last mentioned up-turned end portion, the other arm of the body being formed with a slot in a side face thereof to receive the other up-turned end portion of the yoke and having also a recess the walls of which define a pocket in the top face of the arm at the closed end of said slot, and a nut having threaded engagement on the last mentioned up-turned end of the yoke and formed with a bottom face corresponding to the contour of said pocket and adapted to seat in said pocket to lock this end of the yoke within the slot.

4. A mop holder comprising a unitary body inculding aligned arms which extend in opp site directions and means for removably clamping a mop to. a bottom face of said body comprising a resilient yoke including a central portion pro- 5 end of the yoke, and means for releasably locking the last mentioned end in said slot; the bottom face of said body being ofi-set upwardly adjacent the ends of said arms a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the metal of the yoke so that the said bottom face of said body intervening between the up-turned ends of the yoke will be in substantial alignment with the under surface of the in-turned portions of the yoke.

CALOGERO F. COMITO.

REFERENCE S CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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